It Ain't Easy Being Green
by Vintage Taylor
Summary: Piccolo's got another recruit! As he reflects upon his changing heart, the small girl below him just won't leave him alone. Sweet little one-shot dedicated to one of my favorite characters. (complete)


**A/N: Piccolo appreciation one-shot before I go to my art history class tonight ;) lmao. **

**Enjoy! **

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I was the best at it.

The most evil and powerful demon to have walked Earth, a spawn from my father's egg. I was born with one mission and one mission only; to kill that weird kid who defeated my father.

_Goku._

I snarled slightly, remembering the innocent and goofy smile on that boy's face when I met him as a teenager. It was my ultimate humiliation the day he beat me at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, and I swore the next time we would meet it would be the last time. My goal was to take over the planet, ruling with a green, iron fist.

I would have, too. That god damn Raditz... he just popped his miserable, pathetic self in the sky while I was meditating and ruined everything for me. Raditz, the older brother of Goku.

A Saiyan from Planet Vegeta, making the claim Goku was from outer space just as he.

I clenched my fists so tight my nails began to dig themselves into my skin. That long-haired jackass made a mockery out of me to the point I teamed up with that ridiculous messy-haired Goku just to defeat him. I swear to you it was only for my own selfish reason._ I_ was the only one who was going to rule the Earth and kill that fool. Nobody else.

After that Saiyan's defeat was the day my life turned upside down, and I still don't know if it was the best or worst thing to have ever happened to me.

But it sure as hell gave this desolated life a meaning.

_Gohan._

I don't like to admit out loud, but that small child's love caused me to believe there was some hope in this world, that there was some greater purpose for me. You know what he told me?

He said, "You're like one of the family now. Yeah, you're kinda like my big green uncle!"

The poor bastard said it with a swelled eye and an unbelievable amount of bruises on his body. To make it even worse, he said while we were sitting in front of a fire. It was the most cheesiest moment I had ever experienced in my life, and trust me, I've had a lot being around this damn family.

Well, anyway, the boy grew up and became a man. Along the way, he was so much more powerful than anyone I had ever encountered before, dare I even say Goku. Even more powerful than Nail and Kami both fused inside me. Gohan shocked us all when he killed Cell, and despite what claims he makes, I don't believe his father was by his side to help him.

That was all Gohan.

I smirked a little, looking up at the blue sky above me. There was nobody up there for me to ponder about anymore; Goku has returned home for good and all those killed by Buu have been resurrected. Still, there was a calmness I had always received when I watched the clouds forming different shapes. Somewhere beyond those clouds was the land of the Kais, where the adult Gohan had unlocked his full potential.

That young man will always be so full of potential, his true strength unimaginable to us all. However, as life always seems to do, he took a turn in the other direction. No longer interested in fighting, he finished his studies and became a successful scholar. Not too long afterwards, he married that courageous girl who stayed by his side throughout the beginning of his adult years to now. It shocked everyone how Videl still wanted to stay with him after witnessing all the events surrounding Majin Buu, but these Saiyans always paired up with the strangest females.

I silently thanked Dendi that I didn't ever have to worry about them.

Well, there was one.

An extremely miniature one, who was tugging on the leg of my pants.

"Uncle Piccolo, Uncle Piccolo!" the girl laughed as I struggled to stop the smile that wanted to take over my pensive features. She was pointing up at a strange cloud. "That one looks like Daddy!"

I rolled my eyes at the crazy imagination these little beings seemed to possess. Her father was the same way. "Pan, that looks _nothing_ like Gohan. It's just a... white blob."

Pan giggled once more, and I couldn't resist against my grin anymore. The small child had black hair that was cut like her mother's once was, and she donned an orange gi that looked similar to her grandpa Goku's. In my opinion, she would look so much better in an outfit like mine. But that's just my opinion. Her face resembled Gohan's so much that it made my once non-existent heart drop slightly. "Uncle Piccolo, Daddy said you trained him when he was my age!"

I nodded, the small grin remaining on my face. "That's right, little girl. He was the best student I ever had."

The girl tilted her head to the side, resembling that annoying dog Hercule and Buu had when it was confused. "You didn't like to train Uncle Goten and Trunks?"

I shuddered at the names of the young adults, remembering how stubborn and annoying they were. Especially that cocky, arrogant little Gotenks. I swear if I ever saw him again, I would punch him in the face so hard he would remain fused forever. Wait, that did _not_ sound like a good idea. Maybe I'll just give him a good flick to the nose.

Oh, no. I've become so soft.

"Like I said, Gohan was the best student I ever had."

Pan beamed up at me, and the sun started to peak through the clouds, landing right on her. I swear to you that the light always seemed to follow the child. "Yeah, my daddy's the best! Do you think you could train me, Uncle Piccolo?"

I looked down at Gohan's daughter in shock. I was not expecting that request at all. Nobody ever_ asked_ me to train them, they were always forced. "I don't think you're ready for it, Pan."

The child frowned, looking down at her little black boots. "Grandpa Goku said you would."

I snarled, making a mental note to murder that ugly Saiyan the next time we crossed paths, which would be tonight for dinner. He may be family to be now, but that didn't stop me from wanting to beat the living daylights out of him every time he forced me to play Godfather for half-Saiyan kids. Seeing the sadness on Pan's face as her eyes studied me for a response, my anger faded away almost instantly.

I just can't stand how much she looks like Gohan.

Giving in (I told you I've gotten way too soft, it was that damn Kami in me), I sighed heavily but my eyes remained hard. "Don't expect me to go soft on you like Goku does! You're in Piccolo's training camp now, and we don't rest until we succeed!"

The girl started doing a happy dance, making my eye twitch. How the hell was she not intimidated!? Everyone was intimidated by me! "Uncle Piccolo, you're so funny! Let's go, let's go!"

Before I could respond, the touch of her flesh came in contact with my green hand, causing an odd sensation in my heart that I had only felt during my time with Gohan. She began running, and I had no choice but to jog along beside her as we descended down the grassy hill we were cloud watching on. "Uncle Piccolo!"

"What!?"

She threw her eyes back at me, a genuine and all too familiar smile on her face. "We love you! Do you love us, too?"

The tightening of my hand that consumed hers answered the question for her.

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**I hope you guys liked this sweet little story! I love Piccolo so much. **


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